“Food donations are always very welcome but financial support enables us to shop for any specific foodstuffs we might need and to cover our running costs.”

The foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust nationwide network, saw a steep rise in use across its three distribution centres in the period from May to September last year.

Jeannie said: “People can find themselves experiencing difficulty and struggling to put food on the table for a variety of reasons - those in work on low incomes who experience an unexpected large bill or change in circumstance, can find themselves in crisis.

“We operate on a voucher system, so individuals are referred to us from front line agencies such as Gordon Rural Action or Citizens Advice, social workers or health visitors, but we would welcome new referral partners so we can continue to get help to people who need it across the area.

“We recognise it isn’t just about food though and our volunteers will help signpost clients to additional support and advice if needed.”

She added: “We are always looking for volunteers to work with us either on a weekly basis or for one-off events such as the Tesco food collections or packing Christmas hampers.”

Anyone interested in helping, whether at the Foodbank, fundraising or becoming a referral partner should contact Jeannie on 07493 044952 for more information.